I miss you
by curiousscientistkae
Summary: With everyone leaving her once more, there is only one person Yang wants to be with. Her mother. Summer Rose. She is the only person she wants to talk to and be with at the moment. Summer was the one who was always there for Yang, giving her hope and raising her.


She knows she should be in bed. She knows she should be resting. She knows she should not be out in the cold and wind and snow. She knows what she is doing is stupid and dangerous. But she doesn't care. She hasn't cared in a long time. She doesn't care if she gets an earful from her father when she gets back. She just doesn't care, she just wants to be alone. There is only one thing on her mind and she will do it no matter what anyone says.

Yang pushes through the last bit of thick brush. The sun has started to set and is just touching the edge of the cliff. On that cliff, shining in the light of the setting sun is a stone plaque. Yang eyes stay locked on that plaque. She came here to talk to her. She hasn't spoken to Summer in a while now. It's the only person Yang wants to speak with right now.

Yang walks up to her mother's grave. She kneels down beside it and brushes off the small amount of snow that has landed on top. The grave maker is still cold as she remembers. It always has been. In all the years since Summer has been buried, her gravestone has never changed.

Swallowing a lump in her thought, Yang speaks. "Hey Mom. Sorry I haven't been able to talk to you in a while. I've been…Well I have been busy. I'm sure Ruby has told you a lot about what has going on." Yang chokes up a little. "I bet she already told you what has happened before she left."

Tears start to fall from her eyes. Her one hand clutches tightly in a fist as she begins to cry. "Everything is going to shit and I don't know what to do anymore. Pyrrha…Penny…they are dead. Everyone thinks I am a monster for blowing out someone's knee even though I _know_ I saw him attack me. My partner has left me after I tried to protect her. I…I can't protect anyone anymore because that man, _that monster_ , cut off my arm.

"I don't know any more Mom. Everyone is leaving me again. Two of my friends are gone forever, Weiss is back home; she is back in atlas with her father, no one knows where Blake went off to, and Ruby and the rest of Pyrrha's team have left to go to Heaven. Even Uncle Qrow is gone. I have no idea where he went. Dad _of course_ won't tell me. And Raven is of no help since she didn't even bother to try and do anything about me or any of what is going on."

Yang pauses. The hot tears are flowing down her face like a rapid moving river. She finds it hard to breath, choking and coughing as her throat tightens from her sobs. She has not cried like this in a long time. Her whole body shakes from both sadness and coldness. "I miss you Mom. I miss you so much. I know…I know you didn't mean to leave me but…but why? Why does everyone leave me? What did I do wrong?"

No one answers her. Not even the wind. Yang just sobs on her mother's grave, mumbling 'I miss you' over and over again.

* * *

 **Years ago**

Yang stands on the couch, her body pressed up against the window. Her breath fogs up the glass and Yang makes drawings out of them as she waits. Her mother will be home soon and she can't wait. Summer is bringing back supplies for them to cook. They always cook together right before Summer goes on a mission. Yang always wants to make sure her mother eats well before she goes out and Summer always wants to make sure her daughter has some food. Her father and uncle are not the best of cooks in the world and Summer doesn't want Yang or Yang's little sister, Ruby, eating mac and cheese all week while she is gone.

A white figure appears on the pathway. Yang's eyes widen and a smile grows on her face. The girl jumps off of the couch, opens the door, and sprints outside. Summer has just enough time to drop everything gently down on the ground before her daughter tackles her. Summer gives the small blonde a bear hug.

"Hello my little dragon. Sorry if I took a while. I was having trouble finding some things at the store." Summer gives Yang a kiss on the forehead. "How was school today?"

"It was great! I got an A on my spelling test!" Yang exclaims.

"That's great sweetie! Good job. You want to help me carry some stuff in? See that little plastic bag? If you bring that in you would be a huge help to me and we can cook much quicker."

"Okay Mommy!" Yang breaks free of Summer's grasp. She takes the plastic bag her mother pointed to and bounces back into the house with her mother following right behind her. Both of them enter the kitchen and set everything down. Yang digs around the bag she picked up. In it are a box of butter, a bag of chocolate chip cookies, and small bottle of vanilla. Yang then takes a look at a few other bags. Some of them have different types of baking supplies in them. Then it hits her.

"Are we making cookies also?" Yang asks, her lilac eyes huge and bright. Summer nods. A squeal escapes from Yang's lips. Her mother makes the best cookies in all of remnant and now she gets to cook them with her. What more can the young girl ask for?

"But first we have to start up dinner. We are having zucchini sticks with some parmesan cheese and lasagna tonight. I'm going to make the lasagna by myself but I am going to need your help with the zucchini sticks. I'll cut them up and then you can take it from there. You remember how to make them?" Summer asks.

"I do! I do!"

"Good. Let's get cooking."

Summer picks up Yang and sets her down on the counter. The small woman quickly cuts up the green vegetable and gives them to her daughter, who sets them to the side. She also hands Yang everything else she will need.

Yang puts some tin foil down on a small pan and carefully lines up the zucchini sticks, one by one, on the pan. She practices counting as she does so. There are a few moments where Yang asks her mother what number comes next. Summer happily gives Yang the answer. Once she has it, Yang goes back to placing the food down.

The blonde child then mixes up the parmesan cheese with some different spices such as thyme, oregano, garlic powder, salt, and pepper in a bowl. She needs help from Summer to pour the olive oil on the sticks but is able to put her mix of cheese and spices on them by herself. Once that is one she is all done. It's a simple task for a five year old but one she loves. Slowly she is being allowed to work by herself while cooking, so long as Summer is watching. Yang can't wait for the day when she can cook just like her mother.

With nothing to do now Yang just watches Summer make the lasagna, grabbing what her mother needs and sometimes helping her prepare it if does not involve any sharp objects. Soon dinner is ready to be cooked and Summer places everything in the oven. She tells Yang to wash her hands so they can get to the best part of cooking. The cookies.

"So tell me Yang, are you going to be a good girl while I am gone?" Summer asks as she makes the batter with Yang. Her daughter nods as she takes some chocolate chips in her hand and eats them.

"I will! I'll keep Daddy, Uncle Qrow, and Ruby out of trouble and safe."

"Just like you always do. Your father and Uncle can handle themselves but those two love to get in trouble together. They need a watchful eye. And don't eat too many of those Yang. You will spoil your appetite."

Yang, with some sweets still in her mouth, puts down the second handful she hand grabbed. Summer snorts. Her daughter is almost as bad she is with sweets. Both Yang and Ruby have gotten a sweet tooth. "Anyway, also make sure Ruby doesn't do anything. She has become really active and curious as of late and I'm worried she will hurt herself."

"Don't worry Mommy! I'm her big sister! I will keep her safe!"

"Thanks Yang. You want to lick the batter of the spoon?"

Yang happily takes the spoon away and licks it completely clean. Mother and daughter then create small balls and place them on another pan. They will throw them in until after some dinner has been eaten.

"Let's go get the rest of the family to eat." Summer says.

* * *

Later that day, or night rather, Summer enters the room Yang shares with Ruby. The younger girl is already fast asleep when her mother enters, a book in hand. She is not that surprised her youngest child is out cold already. Yang, on the other hand, is awake and eagerly awaiting a story from her mother.

Summer sits down on Yang's bed. The blonde nuzzles her way under the crook of Summer's arm and wraps herself in a bundle of blankets. Summer begins reading the book. It's a new one about quest, adventures, epic battles, and heroes. The two have been reading it together for a while now. They are at the part where the young hero has become injured and now must find a way to cope with their new life from their injured. It's a new type of battle for them.

Yang starts to nod off when suddenly a loud clap of thunder jolts her awake. She snaps her head around and see the world outside her window turn a bright white again with another loud boom following. Rain begins to come down in buckets and rapidly tap against the window.

"Do you really have to go out in that Mommy?" Yang asks.

"I do Yang. But it's nothing that I can't handle. Don't forget, this is your mother speaking. Summer Rose. Slayer of giant monsters…"

"And baker of cookies." Yang finishes. She licks her lips, still tasting the cookies she made with her mother on her mouth.

"Right. I'll be fine Yang. I know you worry. But if anything were to happen, just know I love you with all my heart. I love all of you. And I know you are a strong child. No matter what, you promise me that you will stay you?"

"I promise." Yang yawns.

"Alright. We will finish this book when I come home okay? You sleep now. I'll wake you in the morning so I can say good-bye."

Summer tucks Yang in for the night and gives her another kiss. Both exchange a 'goodnight' and 'I love you'. When morning comes Yang says goodbye once more, not knowing it will be the last time she would see her mother. Once Summer enters the still storming world, no one would see her alive again.

* * *

 **Present**

"I miss you so much Mom." Yang chokes out again. "I just want everything to be back to normal again. I just want us to all be happy again."

 _Yang!_

The wind carries her name. She looks up, not knowing where it came from or whose owner it is. But her attention is quickly drawn else were. Out in front of her is a pale and transparent figure. The figure stands tall above her, its body and face covered by a white cloak. Yang doesn't even need to see her face to know who stands above her.

 _YANG!_

She must being going insane. How is she seeing Summer? Is it a ghost? A hallucination? How long has she been out in this cold anyway? Yang lost track of time a while ago. But that all fades from her mind when whatever it is of Summer kneels down and cups Yang's face in her hands. Yang can swear she can feel them.

Summer says nothing. She doesn't need to. Her warm silver eyes tell yang everything she needs to know. That it's okay. That she is here for her. That she needs to keep her chin up because one day things will be better. But she also see in her eyes that Summer is saying it's okay to fall. It's okay to break.

"I'm so sorry Mom." Yang cries.

Summer shakes her hands. _There's nothing to be sorry about_ she is trying to say.

 _YANG WHERE ARE YOU?_

The voice yang heard earlier is getting louder. It belongs to a man, an older man. Her brain still cannot process who is calling her but whoever is sounds desperate.

"I miss you Mom. I love you."

Summer leans forward and kisses Yang on the forehead. The blonde can faintly feel her lips pressed up against her skin. She has missed that feeling. Summer pushes away and speaks for the first time.

"I love you also Yang. Never forget what I've taught you."

Summer and what she says are the last thing Yang remembers seeing and hearing before her world goes blank and dark. When she awakes again she is in her room. The heat is blasting. It is suffocating. A number of blankets lay on her.

Yang blinks and looks around. Her father is asleep besides her, holding tightly onto her hand. She debates waking him. Yang knows her father will ask her why she left. Yang just wanted to get away from everything and be with her mother. She was hoping to get back before Taiyang noticed but it looked like that failed.

Yang suddenly sneezes. It's loud enough to wake her father. He shoots up from his chair and hugs Yang tightly. "God Yang. You and Ruby gotta stop giving me heart attacks. I don't know how many more I can handle."

"I'm sorry Dad. I didn't mean to worry you." Yang answers honestly.

"I know you didn't kiddo." Taiyang looks at his daughter. "I figured right away you went off to Summer's grave. You always went to her when you were upset or had a problem. Even after she died you went there. And yes, before you say anything, I did notice when you left and don't ask how I found out. A father has his ways."

"What happened anyway? Everything is kind of a blur."

"I found you freezing by her grave. I was lucky enough to catch you in time before something worse happened to you."

"So that was you calling my name. At least I wasn't going crazy with that."

"What do you mean?"

"I…I could have sworn I saw Mom. I could have sworn she kissed me and told me she loved me. But…I could see through her, like she was a ghost. I don't know if that is what I saw or if my mind was playing a trick on me from the cold. God I'm sorry about that. I didn't mean to stay out that long."

"It's alright Yang. You're going through a lot right now and…and I am going to do everything in my power to make sure I'm right here for you this time and that you get back on your feet alright. As for your mother, I can't answer what you saw. Maybe you saw a ghost, maybe you hallucinated. What matters is that you are okay now." Taiyang gives his daughter a kiss on the forehead. "Get some rest okay? You need it. Oh!"

The older man bends down and grabs something from under his chair. It's a book. One Yang hasn't seen in ages. It's the book she and Summer read together the night before she left on her final mission. Yang remembers hiding the book away. She didn't want to read it ever again. She didn't wanted to read it without her mother.

"I found this. Maybe this will make you happy and keep you busy for a while. Do you want it?"

"Sure Dad. Thanks." Yang takes the book from him.

"Good. I'm going to go make some food. Shout if you need anything."

"Okay."

Once her father is gone Yang looks down at the book. Dust still covers it and the once rich brown cover has turned dull, the binding is starting to come off, and the edges of the pages have gone from white to yellow.

Yang opens it. Sitting right where she left it, is the bookmark Yang had made for Summer. It's a simple little thing. A rectangular piece of paper with a 'World's Best Mom' written in a five year old's hand writing. On the other side is Yang's drawing of her and Summer. A faint smile forms on Yang's face as she remembers giving it to Summer. Her mother loved it and used it all the time when they read. Some tears fall escape her eyes as she thinks of that memory.

Wiping those tears away, Yang sets the bookmark aside and looks down at the pages out in front of her. She remember exactly where she and Summer left off. Right where the hero starts to question what they are going to do with their lives now that they are lost. Yang remembers wondering why the hero has given up so fast. Now she understands.

"Thanks Mom." Yang mumbles to herself as she starts reading her book again. She can still feel Summer's presence as she reads about the fallen hero, as she reads about herself.


End file.
